What is propylene glycol and where does it come from?

Answer 1

In food, propylene glycol helps food retain moisture becuase it attracts water. Also, it has gelling properties, in other words, it gives foods a soft mouth feel.

It is also used as a solvent to extract flavors from one product to be added to another.

Propylene glycol is also an antifreeze and can be used in ice cream products to keep it soft and scoopable instead of becoming a solid, hard chuck of ice.

According to Tom's of Maine, propylene glycol is derived/"distilled" from natural gas.

Answer 2

Propylene glycol, known also by the systematic name propane-1,2-diol, is an organic compound (a diol alcohol), usually a tasteless, odorless, and colorless clear oily liquid that is hygroscopic and miscible with water, acetone, and chloroform.